


Tailgate Don't Tell on Me

by WritersBlock_MyOldFriend



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Basketball Player Nicole Haught, Cheerleader Waverly Earp, F/F, Just the most angst, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-26 00:27:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20380648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritersBlock_MyOldFriend/pseuds/WritersBlock_MyOldFriend
Summary: Waverly was fine with their arrangement. She really was. So what if she was hooking up with the girl she tutored in Latin? So what if that girl was her sister's best friend? It didn't matter. Because what happens on a dirt road stays on a dirt road. That's how it was supposed to be, right?Loosely based off RaeLynn's song Tailgate





	Tailgate Don't Tell on Me

**Author's Note:**

> I promise I'm not a song fic person this just wouldn't leave my head.

* * *

News got around fast in small towns like Purgatory. People were always waiting for the next big gossip. As an Earp, and Wynonna’s sister, Waverly knew this all too well. She spent her childhood at the bar in Shorty’s, doing homework while the drunk-at-noon patrons bashed her family’s name. She spent her teenage years delivering food to the local churches and salons, the ladies grouping up and exaggerating the sex lives of the local senior class. Waverly always blushed as those same women praised her for being such a level-headed girl. An angel in a family of sinners. A true diamond in the rough. Of course, those women didn’t know anything about Waverly. Because Waverly was careful. She had to be because she wasn’t hooking up with rodeo hero Champ Hardy or B-Train, the hockey star. No, Waverly was spending her time with the redheaded captain of the basketball team – the girls’ basketball team.

* * *

“Waverly,” Nicole warned, reaching for the blue sweater that had long been abandoned, “It’s gonna be dark soon,” She whispered, slipping the sweater back over her head.

“Don’t care,” Waverly mumbled, reaching for the hem of Nicole’s sweater again.

“Nope,” Nicole grinned, her dimple popping out as she grabbed Waverly’s hands. “Gotta get you home. Don’t want Wynonna thinking I’m corrupting you.” She winked, flinging herself out of the tailgate.

Waverly knew Nicole was much more worried about Gus than Wynonna, but she relented letting Nicole crank up the truck. Nicole was the closest thing to a friend Wynonna had. They were friends in the way most outcasts were friends. They sat with each other during lunch and rode to football games together on the rare occasion either of them went. Wynonna didn’t have a problem with Nicole, and that made their agreement even harder sometimes. As far as Wynonna knew, Waverly was tutoring Nicole in Latin. Wynonna was too oblivious to realize that they both had beer breath and rumpled clothes when they returned, and way too oblivious to realize no one tutored in pickup trucks on private land for the “serenity.”

“We could always just tell her the truth,” Waverly began, watching the long sigh Nicole let out, frost in the chilly October air. “I mean, she likes you. She would probably just be happy that it was you and not Champ or Perry Crofte.”

“Waverly,” Nicole whispered, and Waverly already knew what was coming. “You know what would happen,” She trailed off, the puffs of air surrounding her like cigarette smoke, “Let’s just get you home, huh?”

She really shouldn’t be mad at Nicole, after all, there were rules in place for a reason. If anyone found out they would be the talk of the town. _Waverly _would be the talk of the town. The Earp Angel, the good sister, the one that’ll amount to something would all be gone. Replaced by the nasty words followed Nicole like a fog. What happened between them had to stay between them. What they were doing had to be on the down-low. Nicole was already getting shit for the whispers that followed her. It didn’t matter that she single-handedly led the girls’ basketball team, and the only winning team in the school, to three separate championships. It didn’t matter that Nicole had scholarships for a big city university or that she had been taken under the Sheriff’s wing. None of it mattered because when anyone said Nicole’s name it was usually tacked onto or followed by the word dyke. Of course, no one ever came out in Purgatory. People just lived with the rumors and whispers until they left town or died.

The red and white F-150 crept into the McCready’s driveway, the lights flashing into the living room window. Waverly knew that Wynonna or Curtis would come out on the porch if she didn’t walk into the door soon, but she couldn’t get herself to move. The smell of vanilla and dust that she associated with Nicole’s truck filled her lungs, comforting her in a way she was too scared to analyze. She just wanted to stay for a little while longer. Waverly sniffled, not even aware she had been crying until she did so.

“Hey,” Nicole whispered, glancing at the porch quickly before gently placing her hand on Waverly’s thigh. “What is it?”

Waverly shook her head, wiping her face with the too-long sleeve of her shirt, “Nothing,” She squeaked, pushing the door open and climbing out of the truck. She could hear Nicole’s own door opening, her heart thundering in her chest at the realization that Nicole had followed her even briefly. The front door swung open, Wynonna standing in the doorway, the light from inside filtering around her.

“Whoa,” Wynonna called, moving out of the way but trying to catch Waverly’s arm.

“It’s nothing,” She insisted, pulling away from Wynonna’s grasp and darting up the stairs to her room. Waverly leaned her forehead against the cool, cracked wood of her bedroom door, listening for the thunderous sound of Wynonna’s boots on the stairs. Wynonna hadn’t followed her, and for that she was grateful. She had to get ahold of herself before she faced her sister.

Waverly pushed off the door scanning her room briefly before striding over to the window. She peeked through the nearly translucent drapes, seeing Wynonna and Nicole still in the driveway. Nicole was still standing half in and half out of her truck, the cab door creating a barrier between her and Wynonna. She kept glancing up to Waverly’s window, shrugging at whatever Wynonna was saying. Nicole turned her eyes back onto Wynonna, the two having an unheard conversation before she lowered herself into her truck and pulled out of the driveway. Waverly watched her taillights bounce across the driveway until they were out of view.

Waverly moved over to her bed, falling face-first into the down mattress. She knew that Wynonna wouldn’t leave this alone. She knew that any minute, her signature loud steps would resonate up the stairs and into her room. It always comforted Waverly to know who was coming up the stairs just by the sound their feet made on the wood. Gus’s steps were quiet and quick, reminding Waverly of a ghost. There had been many times both girls got in trouble because they hadn’t heard Gus coming up the stairs fast enough and had been caught with booze or boys. Curtis’s footfalls were loud, his boots knocking against the wood in a firm thump due to his size. He walked the stairs quickly, the sounds of his labored breathing reaching Waverly’s door long before he knocked. Wynonna’s steps were also loud, but she was slow, almost menacing as she came up the stairs. Wynonna never ran up the stairs, even when she was mad. She would always slowly, lazily make her way up, her boots thumping against the wood like a warning. 

“Baby girl,” Wynonna’s voice called, a solid knock on the door before she opened it. Waverly had long since stopped telling Wynonna she needed to wait for someone to respond to her knock before she opened the door. “Waverly,” Wynonna sighed, moving quickly to sit beside Waverly on the bed. “Is it a bad high?” Waverly sighed into the mattress before she flipped over onto her back.

“I don’t smoke, Wynonna.”

“Is it Champ Hardy? I swear I’ll put Seven Seconds in the ground if he did some-”

“Wynonna, no. I’ve told you there’s nothing between me and Champ Hardy anymore.” Wynonna continued to look at Waverly, her hand hovering over Waverly’s knee. Waverly refused to look at her sister as she mumbled, “It’s nothing. I promise.”

“Waves,”

“I promise, Wynonna.” She said with more conviction, but still not daring to look up.

Wynonna sighed, running a hand through her hair and scooting Waverly over to lay beside her, “You know you can tell me whatever it is? You and me against the world, right?”

Waverly nodded, reaching out and curling herself around Wynonna’s arm, “You and me against the world. 

* * *

Basketball in October was always put on the back burner. Preseason games didn’t bring in as much money as regular-season games. Besides that, football was in full swing during October, and football would always be king in Purgatory. The Blue Devils’ football team hadn’t won a game in two years, but the school still rallied around them much to Waverly’s dismay. It wasn’t that football was Waverly’s least favorite sport, or that the boys on the team were constantly being shitheads to the cheerleaders. It was the fact that Nicole’s team was playing too. Girls’ preseason basketball was in full swing during late October, and they were actually winning. Waverly knew that preseason games didn’t matter, Nicole had told her that a thousand times, but still, she wished the school supported a team that was winning. And maybe deep down she’d just rather be cheering on Nicole than Champ Hardy and the York brothers.

“Are you going to Samantha’s after the game?” Chrissy asked, Stephanie Jones smacking her gum behind Chrissy as Waverly pulled books from her locker.

“Hmm?”

“Waverly,” Stephanie scoffed, moving to stand beside Chrissy and opening the locker door more, “Are you going to Samantha’s after the game? Her parents are out of town, it’s gonna be wild.”

“Oh, um, probably not.” Waverly sighed, pulling the huge chemistry book from her locker and dropping it into her backpack.

“I swear Waverly, sometimes it’s like you don’t even want to be a cheerleader. You know Samantha and Megan basically choose the next captain?”

Waverly zipped her backpack and slammed her locker, “Well, hopefully, they’ll remember who can actually learn the dances when they choose instead of basing it off of attendance to another boring party.” She knew it sounded bitchy as it left her mouth, but she couldn’t stop it. She had bigger things to worry about than Samantha Baker’s opinion of her. “Listen, I’m sorry, but I have a chemistry test next Monday and I don’t really have time to get drunk out in a field.”

“Fuck, just get Rosita to get the test for you. It’s not like one B is gonna derail your perfect 4.0.” Stephanie groaned, rolling her eyes.

“That’s cheating and the only reason Rosita does that for you is because you have some type of blackmail on her.”

“Damn right I do.” Stephanie grinned, pausing her gum-smacking for a minute.

“Well, I don’t think I can go either so it’s fine.” Chrissy smiled, shrugging her shoulders at Waverly.

“Y’all are both being boners I swear. Why can’t you go, Amazon? Daddy dearest not gonna allow it?”

“He’s on patrol with a rookie officer tonight. Her parties always get a sound complaint,” Chrissy shrugged, ignoring Stephanie’s usual insults against her height.

“Whatever, while you two are being nuns, I’ll be getting railed by Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome.”

Stephanie had been telling Waverly and Chrissy about her “Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome” since junior year began. She refused to tell either of them who exactly the guy was, but she made sure to bring him up every chance she got. She constantly reminded the girls on the cheer squad that what she had with “Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome” was completely forbidden. Stephanie must have thought their romance was very Romeo Juliet, keeping him a secret and everything. Waverly just thought it was annoying.

Okay, and maybe Waverly was a little jealous that Stephanie was allowed to flaunt her secret hookup and Waverly wasn’t. Maybe she was a little jealous because the cheer team made a big deal of Stephanie’s relationship with this guy and in the same breath criticized Nicole. Maybe she was a little jealous because Stephanie Jones wasn’t in love with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. He was just another way for Stephanie to be in the spotlight, to further her chances of impressing Samantha and Meagan and becoming captain. Yeah, maybe Waverly was a little jealous.

“See you, whores, later,” Stephanie grinned, linking her arm with another cheerleader and making her way down the hall.

“Don’t worry about what she says,” Chrissy sighed, placing her hand on Waverly’s forearm, “She’s just pissed because she knows you have captain in the bag.”

Waverly smiled, nodding her head, “I didn’t mean to sound so rude, she’s just,” Waverly trailed off, scanning the hall for red hair.

“Well, forget her, let’s just get through the pep rally and game and then we can have our own party. Stephanie free.” 

“Yeah, sounds good, Chris.

Waverly stretched beside Chrissy, her eyes trained on the bleachers as students mulled their way into the gym. She saw a few of the basketball girls, their blue and white travel sweats the only indication of who they were. The gray hoodies with _Blue Devils Basketball _written in blue across the chest and their blue pants with their respective number in white made Waverly nearly giddy. It shouldn’t have been a big deal, but it was only the second year they had them. The girls’ team earning enough money to buy new uniforms _and _travel sweats. It filled Waverly with pride to see the girls wear them.

Finally, through the sea of students, Waverly saw Nicole, towering over some underclassmen. Wynonna sauntering beside her with her arms crossed. They made their way to the top of the bleachers, Wynonna plopping down on the wooden seat loud enough for Waverly to hear her on the floor. Waverly locked eyes with Nicole, a wide grin spreading across the latter’s face as she realized Waverly had spotted her. Chrissy nudged Waverly with her foot, signaling that the other girls were starting to do their warm-up routine. Waverly smiled back at Nicole, lifting herself off the floor and joining the other cheerleaders.

The grey-haired principle finally wobbled his way over to the announcer’s podium, the microphone screeching as he breathed into it to announce the end of the pep rally. Waverly lined up with the other cheerleaders, cheering on the players as they rushed to go eat a hefty pre-game meal set up by one of the many sponsors in town. The students began to filter out after that, the sounds of feet dragging against the old wood and trucks cranking outside filling the gym. The cheerleaders quickly disembarked, running to pick up pom-poms and roll up the padded mats as fast as they could in order to get home. Waverly always thought it was ridiculous that she and the rest of the cheerleaders had to prepare, decorate, clean, and be brushed to the side for their work while the boys got praised and fed for not even winning.

Wynonna and Nicole were some of the last ones out of the stands, most likely waiting for Waverly to finish cleaning. They stood together on the gym’s sideline, Nicole leaned back against the bleachers while Wynonna scowled at any of the underclassmen that got too close to her. Waverly hurried to finish rolling the last padded mat, excited to take Wynonna home and maybe meet up with Nicole before she left for her game tonight. Things never work out as planned though.

“Aww, you two heading off to go make out?” Stephanie’s voice cut through the sounds of the gym. A smirk on her face as the other cheerleaders noticed Nicole and Wynonna on the sidelines.

“Nah, we’re going to fuck in the equipment room. Pretty sure I saw you and Mr. Lewis in there yesterday.” Wynonna called back, earning a scowl from Nicole. The cheerleaders looked wide-eyed at Stephanie, her face turning redder by the second. Mr. Lewis was the seventy-two-year-old biology teacher. He was known for giving impossible tests, his thick-rimmed glasses, and most notably his patchy, white hair that stood up in all directions

“I am not fucking Mr. Lewis!” She scoffed, crossing her arms and glaring at Wynonna.

“Is he your Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome?” Samantha grinned, Meghan standing behind her and gawking at Stephanie.

“Oh, my fucking God! She’s just saying that so we’ll ignore she’s with Miss Dyke and Tall!” Nicole flinched at the word but didn’t say anything. Instead, she ducked her head and pushed Wynonna towards the door.

“Just be sure to use protection, Stephanie. I hear old guys have dumb kids, and we already know the chances of your little hellions being dumbasses is pretty fucking high.”

“Wynonna,” Nicole hissed, pushing her towards the side door, trying to stop the situation from getting any more out of hand. Wynonna shrugged her off, turning to walk towards the door. Waverly sighed in relief, knowing that if the situation continued and a teacher became involved Wynonna would get the brunt of the punishment. Wynonna spun around quickly, pointing towards Stephanie and widening her eyes,

“And how _dare _you insult the big and tall section like that! Jason Momoa does not deserve such disrespect.”

The cheerleaders were silent after that, cleaning their respected sections as quickly as possible. Waverly didn’t dare look up at Stephanie even though she could feel the other girl’s eyes on her. Waverly knew that the first chance Stephanie got she was going to get payback for what Wynonna said. It didn’t matter that Waverly hadn’t been involved in the argument, Stephanie was going to punish her just the same. Waverly rolled up the final mat and hurriedly grabbed her bag and headed to her car, avoiding Stephanie’s glare the whole way.

The parking lot was mostly empty except for a few cars and Nicole’s truck. Nicole and Wynonna were leaning against Waverly’s Jeep, taking drags from a shared cigarette.

“Excuse me,” Waverly sang, grabbing the lit cigarette from Wynonna’s hand and dropping it onto the ground, crushing it beneath her foot.

“Hey!” Wynonna grumbled, throwing her hands in the air. Waverly bent down to grab the cigarette bud and handed it to Wynonna.

“Trash, please.” Wynonna raised her hands higher in the air, her eyes darting around as to say where. “You smoke it, you properly dispose of it,” Waverly said, pointing towards the school doors. Wynonna grumbled more, clutching the cigarette in her fist as she made her way to the doors. Waverly turned to Nicole, her heart flooding with warmth when she noticed the small smile on her face. “Hey,” Waverly grinned, looking over her shoulder before moving to stand closer to Nicole.

“Hey,” Nicole grinned, dimple on display as she too peeked over Waverly’s head. Waverly wrinkled her nose, the smell of smoke wrapping around her nose unpleasantly. 

“You know I hate it when you smoke cigarettes,”

“Sorry,” Nicole apologized sheepishly, her eyes downcast.

Waverly shook her head, placing her hand onto Nicole’s forearm, “I was wondering if I could see you before you leave for the game?”

Nicole finally met Waverly’s eyes, a small frown on her face, “Sorry, we leave at four-thirty,” Waverly frowned but nodded, clutching her bag a little tighter. “But hey, tomorrow’s Saturday. I, you know, might need to come over. Huge Latin test Monday,”

“A huge one, huh?” Waverly grinned, biting her bottom lip to not look totally stupid.

“Like half my grade,” Nicole agreed, a cheeky smile on her face as she leaned closer to Waverly.

“Okay, Thing One and Thing Two, I have officially had enough of Purgatory High. Can we leave this hell hole?” Nicole pulled back from her as she heard Wynonna’s voice. Waverly tried to stop the disappointment from settling in her stomach at the action.

“Yep, I’m out of here. See you guys tomorrow?” Nicole asked, looking hopeful at Waverly.

“Hmm, probably gonna be hungover, so maybe.” Wynonna shrugged, picking at her one of her nails.

“You have a Latin test Monday.” Waverly lied, smiling mischievously at Nicole.

“Right,” Nicole nodded, a twinkle in her eyes as she reached for her truck’s door handle, “See you at four?”

“Sounds good,” Waverly smiled, “Good luck!”

Nicole grinned at her, opening the truck door to climb in, waving at the sisters as she went. Wynonna tugged on the Jeep’s door impatiently, urging Waverly to unlock the door.

The moment the Jeep doors closed though, Wynonna grew serious, “Do me a favor and land wrong on Stephanie Jones’s neck tonight.”

“Wynonna!” Waverly scolded, cranking up the car.

“Fine, just land wrong on her arm or something. I swear I don’t know why you’re friends with that bitch.”

“Does it ever bother you?”

“That you’re friends with Stephanie Jones? Every day.”

“No, the fact that people think you and Nicole are together?” Waverly continued, ignoring Wynonna’s antics.

“Pfft,” Wynonna rolled her eyes, propping one foot on the chair beneath her, “Please, no one with eyes thinks that. Stephanie Jones just wants Tater Haught to rail her.”

“I don’t think that’s why,” Waverly frowned the thought not sitting well with her.

“Anyway, if I was gonna swing that way I could do a lot worse than, Haught.” Waverly bit her lip, trying not to let any compliment or observation spill from her lips. Sure, Wynonna could make those statements about Nicole, but Waverly was just Nicole’s Latin tutor. As far as Wynonna knew, she and Nicole barely talked outside of tutoring. “Plus, Haught already has a girl. Won’t tell me who of course, too damn loyal or some shit.”

“Oh, she does?” Waverly asked, her voice sounding too high to her own ears. Luckily, Wynonna didn’t seem to notice it.

“Oh, yeah, always texting somebody. She won’t tell me who. Probably a complete closet case in this town,” Wynonna scoffed, turning to look out the window.

Waverly swallowed hard, swerving slightly into the other lane.

* * *

January was a break from the madness for Waverly. School let out the week of Christmas and wouldn’t be back in session until the middle of January. Shorty let her have the three weeks off, mainly because business slowed considerably in the cold months. Nicole and the Lady Blue Devils had a break in games for holiday celebrations. And most importantly it was Nicole’s birthday.

Wynonna insisted on throwing a party for Nicole, even though they couldn’t invite many people on the account of they all either hated Wynonna or hated Nicole. Nicole kept brushing off the idea as a whole, but Waverly could tell she was touched by Wynonna’s gesture even if the two of them were too stubborn to show it. They finally decided to just have a low-key get together for Nicole, just a few friends hanging out with too much booze and food. Waverly was in charge of the invite list and that was going to include anybody who didn’t bad mouth Nicole.

“Haught,” Wynonna sighed, already unsteady on her feet when Nicole walked into the McCready house, “Happy birthday!” She swayed into Nicole, throwing her arms half-heartedly around the redhead in what Waverly assumed was a hug.

“Umm, thanks?” Nicole asked, looking at Waverly over Wynonna’s head.

Waverly shrugged, but couldn’t stop the smile on her face from spreading as Nicole patted Wynonna on the back.

“Dolls! Dolls get Nicole a drink!” Wynonna yelled, pulling away from Nicole and pushing her slightly. Nicole turned to send a grateful smile to Dolls as he silently handed her a drink, a small grin on his own face. Nicole turned back to Waverly, raising her drink in the air before Wynonna grabbed Nicole’s arm and pulled her further into the house. Oh, brother.

The night was winding to an end, most of the guest had left the party, the few stragglers laying on the floor of the living room mumbling to themselves. Wynonna stumbled through the kitchen, patting Waverly on the back as she headed to the stairs. Her loud steps resonated through the house. Nicole walked through the kitchen next, her brown eyes unfocused and her feet unsteady. Rosita smiled and excused herself, leaving Waverly and Nicole alone.

“Hey,” Nicole grinned, dimple on display as she leaned heavily against the kitchen counters.

“Hey, yourself,” Waverly smiled back, inching closer to Nicole.

“This was really fun,”

“I can see that,” Waverly grinned, pushing Nicole back slightly only for her to stumble back to her.

Nicole looked around the kitchen comically, “So, where’s Mr. and Mrs. McCready?”

“They left for the night, said something about the Wainwright.” Waverly grinned,

looking up at Nicole through her eyelashes.

“When will they be home?”

“Oh, very late tomorrow morning,” Waverly replied, cheekily.

Nicole grinned, “Wanna take the truck for a spin?”

The truck lurched to a stop, Waverly giving a sheepish smile to Nicole in the passenger seat. Nicole didn’t seem to notice, her eyes heavily lidded as they watched Waverly park the truck and turn the key. They both got up, Nicole a little more unsteady than Waverly. Nicole clumsily lowered the bed of the truck, climbing in and pulling out the cooler she kept in the back.

“Nope, nope, nope,” Waverly argued, climbing into the bed of the truck as well, firmly placing her hands over Nicole’s on the cooler. “No more drinks,”

“But,” Nicole whined, causing Waverly’s stomach to flutter, “This is our thing! Two drinks, two drinks then we, we,” She continued, making wild gestures with her hands that made Waverly giggle to herself. 

“You are so drunk,” Waverly grinned, taking Nicole’s hands and moving them into her lap, “No beer tonight, okay? You’re already way too drunk.”

“Then you drink,”

“I have to drive you back home, no,” Nicole huffed, moving her legs so she sat in the bed of the truck instead of resting on her knees.

“Fine, stupid safety,” Nicole sighed, as Waverly moved to sit close to her, linking their arms together. It was only then that she realized how cold it was outside. Waverly hated the cold. It reminded her of the days she spent at the Earp Homestead, the howling north winds slithering under the doors and windows. The warped wood creaking as the winds assaulted the house from all sides. A whirlwind of freezing gusts with the house as the eye of the storm. She remembered the cold stare Ward had when he was drunk, and she remembered the cold metal of his gun when she held it in her tiny hands. She shivered involuntarily.

“You cold?” Nicole slurred, moving before Waverly could answer. Nicole kept an assortment of quilts in her truck for such occasions. Some were hand-stitched, others bought from stores when the winter snow came. Threadbare ones and nearly brand-new ones, the smell of the store still not washed out of them. There were giant ones and small ones, all with various themes and prints on them. They all reminded Waverly of Nicole now, and that thought alone would usually drive out the cold.

Nicole pulled out several, wrapping Waverly into a cocoon of blankets. She was still drunk, so squatting on the bed of a truck was nearly impossible but she managed. She’d stumble and scoot over to readjust a quilt before she would stumble the other way to fix the opposite side. Waverly couldn’t help but shake her head at her, her cheeks tinted pink from the cold.

“You’re so drunk,” Waverly reiterated, smiling up at the unfocused eyes. Nicole locked eyes with her, a relaxed smile on her face as she took in Waverly.

“You’re so pretty,” Nicole grinned, moving to sit by Waverly. Waverly could feel the blush rising to her cheeks, her heart thundering in her chest.

“Yep, so drunk,” She brushed the compliment off, scared of what it meant if she didn’t.

“Nope,” Nicole argued, “You are my whole world, Waverly Earp.” Waverly’s breath caught in her throat. Nicole was leaning her head back against the side of the bed, her red hair blending into the truck’s paint.

“You don’t mean that,” Waverly tried again, only for Nicole to side-eye her suspiciously.

“Oh, I assure you, baby, I mean it.” Nicole grinned, ducking down to connect their lips. Their teeth knocked together unpleasantly, but just for a minute, Waverly believed her. Because when Nicole Haught held her face in her hands so gently, how could she not?

* * *

April brought with it the usual giddiness of a new season. The snow had finally started to melt, leaving behind soggy ground and wet streets that froze over at night. Mud caked everything from tires to shoes, leaving behind clumps of the stuff everywhere. The sun finally peeked out from behind white, fluffy clouds after months without it being seen. Spring gave a new life to the school. The Lady Blue Devils hadn’t made it to the championship in March, leaving much of the school and Waverly heartbroken. Life continued though, and it was the home stretch for most of the seniors, Wynonna and Nicole included, the prospect of freedom for them closer than ever.

“I’m really not looking forward to you leaving,” Waverly sighed, skin cooling under the single quilt Nicole kept in the truck during the spring and summer.

“Got a few more months.” Nicole reasoned, watching the clouds drift across the sky and not looking at Waverly.

“Not enough,” Waverly whispered, trying to catch the older girl’s eyes. Nicole sighed, detangling herself from Waverly and moving further into the bed of the truck. Waverly perked up at this, watching as Nicole wrestled with her shirt, flipping it inside out only to huff and flip it back right. She slipped the shirt over her head, tossing Waverly hers as she dug behind the cooler to reach her pants. “What are you doing?” Waverly asked, her voice small.

“Waves, I really don’t want to talk about it,” Nicole huffed, moving to grab the cans they had scattered around the truck bed.

“Talk about what?” Waverly urged, wrapping the quilt tighter around herself.

“Anything!” Nicole snapped, before looking away guiltily, “I just, I don’t want to talk about anything right now.” Waverly nodded, putting on her own shirt as Nicole packed away the empty cans.

* * *

Nicole was leaving in July, heading off to spend the last two months of summer practicing with her new team. She had been busy the last few months. Busy with graduation and orientation. Busy doing summer workouts and going over plays the university’s coach had sent her. Nicole had a lot to do, and Waverly was understanding. She was. She just missed Nicole. Things weren’t the same between them, and if Waverly was honest with herself they hadn’t been for a while. The only time Waverly saw Nicole was when she and Wynonna would come in drunk. After everyone was asleep she would sneak into Waverly’s room, pull her out of bed and into the driver’s side of her truck. Waverly always allowed it. Worried that it would be the last time. Worried that the distance Nicole was putting between them was because life was happening and things were changing. Mostly worried that if Nicole went off to that university, Waverly would never see her again.

“Hey,” Nicole sighed, standing in the walkway between the kitchen and the dining room of the McCready home.

“Hey,” Waverly breathed, staring openly at the other girl.

“I was wondering, ugh, you want to take the truck for a spin?” Nicole stammered, holding up her keys as if there was any doubt on what truck. Waverly watched Nicole shift from one foot to the next, her eyes downcast.

“Of course,”

It wasn’t like the last times, Waverly noted. Nicole was nervous, more nervous than she had ever seen her before. They reached their usual spot, tucked far away from town, a piece of land Curtis used for hunting elk. The mountains framed the sky, isolating them to the point that sometimes Waverly thought they were the only people on Earth. Nicole stopped the truck and opened the door quickly, the warm summer air rushing into the cab. Waverly followed, watching as Nicole lowered the tailgate. It was too mechanical, nothing like the times before. Waverly scanned the back for the cooler Nicole usually brought, finding nothing but a few discarded Gatorade bottles. Nicole sat on the tailgate, her long legs barely missing the ground as she patted the space beside her. Waverly slowly approached, standing inches away from the offered seat.

“What is it, Nicole?” Waverly asked, her voice wavering more than she would like it to. Nicole stared up at the sky, not meeting Waverly’s eyes.

“Can you just sit with me for a little while?” Nicole asked, her voice soft and pleading. Waverly found herself sitting without really thinking about it. Her feet dangled off the end of the tailgate as she waited for something to happen. They sat on the tailgate for what seemed like years, the sun slowly creeping its way across the sky, almost touching the mountain.

“I’m thinking about not going to college,” Nicole’s voice finally cut through the silence, startling Waverly slightly.

“What?” Waverly asked, turning her body to face Nicole.

“I’m thinking about not going to college,” Nicole repeated, her voice more confident now than it had been before. She still wouldn’t look at Waverly, her eyes locked onto the horizon.

“Why? Why are you thinking of doing that?” Waverly asked, her voice nonjudgmental as she watched Nicole’s face go through several different emotions.

“Don’t think it’s where I’m supposed to be,” Nicole shrugged, still staring straight ahead.

“Nicole, look at me please,” Waverly begged, reaching out to grab the other girl’s hand that had been resting between them. Nicole finally looked at Waverly, her jaw tensing as she allowed Waverly to grab her hand. “What’s going on?”

Nicole huffed, clenching her jaw before answering, “I passed the entrance exam,”

“Oh,” Waverly sighed, not needing clarification about which entrance exam. She had been helping Nicole study for the law enforcement entrance exam since March. She never thought to ask her how she did on it, too afraid of Nicole’s answer.

“Yeah, oh.” Nicole sighed, “Mom and dad aren’t for it. But when were they for anything other than basketball and maybe exercise science.”

“Well, what do you want to do?”

“You know what I want to do,” And Waverly did. Nicole had been hanging out at the Sheriff’s Department since they were fifteen, always riding along with Sheriff Nedley when she could. He had taken her under his wing, Chrissy always complained about how much he talked about her at dinner.

“Then do it.”

“You really think I should?”

“I know that you would be the best damn officer this town had,” Waverly sighed, pulling Nicole’s hand into her lap.

“I wouldn’t have much competition,” Nicole shrugged, staring back out towards the horizon and the sinking sun.

“Plus,” Waverly continued, a glint in her eyes, “I think you’d look very hot in a uniform,” Nicole chuckled, shaking her head.

“Not in those damn khakis Nedley makes them wear,”

“But the hat,” Waverly sang, a wide grin on her face.

“Yeah, I guess the hat could make up for it,” Nicole nodded, a smile on her face as well.

“Oh, I assure you it would most definitely make up for it. I’ll have to fight them off you with a stick,” Waverly laughed, scooting closer to Nicole, “That is, if you still want me,”

“Waverly,” Nicole sighed, tightening her grip on Waverly’s hand, “We can’t.” Waverly huffed, pulling her hand free and hopping off the tailgate.

“Why?”

“Waverly,”

“No, you always say we can’t. We can’t tell people because you have a scholarship on the line or the coach wouldn’t play you or the teachers might fail you. But that’s over with, Nicole so why can’t we tell? Why shouldn’t we tell?” Waverly pleaded, moving to stand between Nicole’s legs.

“Do you not think I want to?” Nicole argued, “Waverly I would scream it from the fucking rooftops if I could, but I can’t!”

The air in Waverly’s lungs caught, her heart beating against her ribcage violently at the confession. She stared at Nicole, her fist balled up at her side. She wouldn’t stop though. Waverly needed answers, “Why not?” She gritted out, the words thick in her mouth.

“Because you still have to deal with that shit! You still have to deal with all the shit in Purgatory, and if they find out.” Nicole sighed loudly, running a hand through her hair, “If they find out you can kiss everything goodbye. Cheer captain, prom queen. I wouldn’t be surprised if they gave valedictorian to someone else. You’d be kicked off the cheer team, the teachers would whisper about you, and Stephanie Jones would make your life hell. We can’t, I, I can’t.”

“I don’t care about any of that, Nicole.” Waverly rushed out, stepping closer to Nicole.

“Well, I do! I want you to just be normal, Waverly. I want you to have a normal high school experience.”

Waverly frowned, “Nicole this _is _normal.”

“I know that! They don’t care though, Waverly. The moment they find out, they’re gonna treat you different. They treated me like shit, Waverly! They treated me like shit and I can’t let them do that to you too.”

Waverly huffed. She could feel the tears burning at the back of her eyes, her throat closing as she thought about what Nicole was saying. Nicole was right, but at the same time, Waverly really didn’t care. She had cared, a few minutes prior she had cared but that was before Nicole had decided to not go to college. That was before Nicole had admitted that this thing between them wasn’t just another couple of kids in a pickup fooling around. 

“Waverly,” Nicole sighed, reaching out and pulling the girl to her chest, “Don’t cry, I’m sorry.”

“Just take me home.” Waverly’s voice cracked, burying her face into Nicole’s shirt.

* * *

Waverly ignored her phone buzzing on the desk in her room. She ignored the sound of a car pulling up the McCready’s gravel drive. She ignored the knock on the door and the ticking of the clock. She tried to ignore everything she could. Nicole hadn’t spoken to her since she drove her out to their spot in June, and Waverly hadn’t tried to contact her either.

“Waverly!” Curtis called, and she wished she could ignore him too. She went to her bedroom door, staring down the expanse of the wooden stairs. Curtis must have heard her, his gentle voice calling again, “Waverly, Nicole’s at the door. Says she wants to speak to you.” His grey head popped into view, the five o’clock shadow he hadn’t shaved yet made him look older.  
She started down the stairs, her feet slapping against the glossy wood like Wynonna’s often did. “I’ll give you girls some privacy,” Curtis smiled, “It was good to see you, Nicole. Good luck at the academy.”

“Thank you, Mr. McCready. Good to see you too,” Nicole’s voice called, her lone figure standing in the doorway. Waverly let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding at the sight of her. Waverly could hear Curtis climbing the stairs, his boots thumping against the wood quickly, his breathing picking up with every step. “Waverly,” Nicole smiled, still standing in the doorway as if she was afraid to come into the house.

“You can come in, if you want.” Waverly offered, wrapping her arms around herself.

“No, I shouldn’t I have to get on the road soon.”

“So, you’re actually doing it? Gonna go and fight crime.” Waverly asked, her voice awkwardly joking. Nicole let out a short laugh anyway, breathier than her usual laugh.

“Not yet. Gotta survive basic training first.”

“That’s where you’re headed?”

“Mhmm, wanted to come see you before I left.” Waverly felt her heart thump hard in her chest, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come.”

“No,” Waverly rushed out, her arms falling at her sides, “No, I’m glad you did.” They were both silent for a moment, not sure what to say to the other. Waverly had so many questions, so many questions about them and what was gonna happen. “How long will you be gone?”

“Six months, and then I’ll have to go through training at whatever department I get on,”

“You aren’t, you aren’t gonna work in Purgatory?” Waverly asked, her throat tightening.

“I, um, I was actually thinking about maybe finding a job in the city.” Nicole explained, “If I get through training and everything.”

“Of course,” Waverly agreed, her voice cracking. “I mean, why wouldn’t you go to the city right? I hear people are really nice there.”

“Waverly,”

“No, you’re right. You’ve always been right. We would be the talk of the town if anybody found out, right? I’d get hell for it.” Waverly was full-on crying now and she hated herself for it.

“Waverly, I’m sorry.” Nicole tried, her voice wavering slightly before she stepped into the house, “I’m sorry about all of it.” Nicole took a deep breath, “You know I would change it if I could, right? In a heartbeat,” Waverly nodded, tears still streaming down her face, not trusting her own voice. “Waverly,” Nicole called, taking Waverly’s hands gently into her own.

Waverly finally looked up, brown eyes wet with unshed tears stared down at her, conflicted, “Go,” Waverly croaked out, her voice sounding like nails on a chalkboard echoing in the foyer of the McCready house.

“You’re still my whole world, Waverly Earp,” Nicole sighed, leaving a bruising kiss on her lips before pulling away. It only made Waverly cry harder because they weren’t hidden in the back of that race red F-150 anymore, but they were still a secret. “I’m sorry,” Nicole repeated, stumbling back out the front door, “I have to go,” 

Nicole stood on the porch for a minute, her eyes glued to Waverly as her feet finally began to backpedal. Waverly refused to shut the door, she watched as Nicole walked to her truck, she watched as the taillights flashed red and the gravel underneath the back tires shifted. She watched as the red and white race stripes of the truck went over the hills and disappeared.

Waverly slammed the door, tears coming hot and fast down her face. She turned on her heel, ready to dart up the stairs and lock herself in her room until everything slowed down. Curtis stood at the bottom of the stairs, his soft brown eyes locked onto Waverly’s. Before she knew what she was doing she had launched herself at him, his large arms wrapping around her. She remembered the night Curtis and Gus came and got her and Wynonna from the police station, the night their father had run off the road and left them orphaned. His arms had blocked out any noise from the police station, they had blocked out all of the bad things and for once in Waverly’s childhood, she felt safe. But his arms didn’t block out Nicole’s voice ringing in her ears and they didn’t stop her heart from aching.

“What is it, sweetheart? What’s wrong,” Curtis asked, his large hand cupping the back of her head, pulling her closer to him.

“Nicole,” Waverly cried out, her words muffled by his flannel shirt, “She’s not coming back, she’s not,” She trailed off, nearly hyperventilating. Curtis shushed her, stroking her hair the way he did when she was little, “I love her, Uncle Curtis,” She felt him sigh.

“I know you do, Sweetheart,”


End file.
